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Hawaii as New Home
Moving to the Islands has never been a problem to Gail, having grown up in a relatively similar cultural environment in the Gardena-Torrance area in L.A., which had a huge Asian population mostly of Japanese descent. As a matter of fact, Gail found more of a daunting task trying to blend in with the Washington D.C. populace where things were done a little differently.
"I think Hawaii has a very similar Asian culture (compared to Gardena), and there's obviously other mixes that go in there. But a lot of the customs and things work the same," she said.
"In fact, when I moved to DC it was very strange that was a culture shock to me--because it was a very different way of doing business; people are much more up front."
"I won't say it's in-your-face, because it's a lot of subtleties that go beyond, but it's a very different way of dealing with people, and I actually struggled in the beginning to kind of figure out how to find my place and to fit in," she added.
"(In Hawaii), it felt like home from day one."
Making a name for herself
It is not so much of a struggle for Gail Mukaihata Hannemann to detach herself from being associated as the "Mayor's wife", especially in her professional career. But their partnership comes in handy in relation to a handful of community-oriented causes. As chairperson of the Hawaii Alliance of Arts Education, Gail holds a critical position in reinstatement of Culture and Arts in the Islands. With Mayor Mufi's mission of redeveloping Chinatown, much of Gail's tasks are half accomplished.
However, Gail takes extra precaution in ensuring that no conflict of interest can barge in the activities they pursue.
"A lot of times I'll take a step back to make sure that even though I'm doing something that I know is proper and OK, it could be perceived as being something that can be construed other ways," she said. "And as everyone knows in politics perception sometimes becomes reality."
"So there are many things that I don't participate in at all that maybe I should be as a wife but because of my work I hold back so there is never that people don't think I am using the Girl Scouts, which I think has an exceptionally great brand name and people have a lot of good will and Aloha for it toward something that could be perceived as politically advantageous," she added.
Clearly, her mandate as CEO of the Girl Scout Council of Hawaii is a whole new world on its own, away from the limelight and discretion of being a public figure. Her position as chief executive of Hawaii's largest, girl-focused organization offers a glimpse of her independence from her ascribed status and the power of womanhood in today's society.
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